Eraser cleaner



' A. L. HAUSTEN ERASER CLEANER Filed July 2:. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 mull" Aug. 3 1926.

- A. L. HAUSTEN ERASER CLEANER Filed July 22, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. L. HAUSTEN ERASER CLEANER Aug. 3 1926.

Filed July 22, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 3 wuenl oz Patented Aug. 3, 1926.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR L. HAUSTEI\T, OF CLOQUET, MINNESOTA.

ERASER CLEANER.

Application filed July 22, 1525. Serial No. 45,326..

.This invention relates to machines for cleaning black-board erasers of the class ordinarily used in school rooms. A common custom is to allow the children to remove the chalk dust from such erasers by pounding the felt portion upon some solid object for the purpose of expelling the dust. Such practice has been condemned in many localities however, due'to the fact that the operator necessarily inhales some of the dust forced from tie eraser. Furthermore the practice is not etlicient, since, while some of the dust is expelled in the pounding operation, much of it remains and is impacted in the felt portion.

One of the objects of the present inven tion is the provision of'means for positively removing practically all of the chalk dust from the exposed surface portion of the eraser, said means being also simultaneously operable to generate an air current which expels the dust to a point remote from the operator. V

Other objects of the invention will be made clear in the following specification, when taken in connection with the draw ings forming a part thereof.

' This application is a continuation, in part, of my co-pending application covering eraser cleaner, filed Sept. 18, 1923, Ser. No. 663,452.

In said drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a machine embodying my invention, certain portions of the enclosing housings being removed.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken longitudinally through .the machine.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine, certain portions of the housing being removed, and,

F 4 is a section taken through the easing, on the line 4 1, F ig. 2, showing the bottom portions of the brushes and the eraser supporting wires.

Now referring specifically to the drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the machine comprises a. table which is preferably of rectangular formation and provided with legs 1 which are outwardly flared at the bottom. end braces 2, side braces 3, constituting also a support for an.

electric motor 4, mounted on an adjustable plate 5, and a bottom brace 6. Each leg terminates at its top in a slightly reduced portion, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

A housing A is mountedon the legs 1, by'means of lugs 7 which are secured to the housing by means of bolts. Thelugs 7 are centrally provided with laterally projecting ears 8, provided on the bottom with a socket adapted to fit over the reduced upper portion of thelegs 1, and a screw or bolt 9 secures the ears 8 to the leg- 1.

The bottom portion of'the housing A is preferably of rectangular formation, and comprises side walls 10 and end walls 11.. is illustrated in Fig. 2, conveyor shafts 12 and 13 are extended through and journaled in the side walls of the casing, the end of the shaft 13 extending through a b0X=14, secured to one of the sides, and being slidable therein. whereby to permit adjustment of the length of the conveyor which carries the eraser, as will presentlybedescribed. A set screw 15 bears against theshaft 13, and governs its position in the 100x14, as will be understood. 3

As shown in Fig. 2, the conveyor 16 comprises an endless belt, preferably of very strong canvas, provided with a plurality of definitely spaced clips 17 secured to its top surface, the space between the clips 17 fori. ing pockets to receive the erasers 18. A pulley 19, shown in Fig. 3, is secured to. the shaft 20 of themotor, and a much larger pulley 21 is secured to a shaft 22 adjacentthe veyor 16, a drive belt 23 being trained over the pulleys 19 and 21.. The opposite end of the shaft 22 carries: a small gear pinion 2 3, in mesh with a large gear 24 carried by the projecting end of the shaft 12. By the 2 construction explained it. will be obvious that energization of the motort will cause a movement of the conveyor 16 at a speed very much reduced with respect to the speed of rotation of the motor shaft 20, said conveyor traveling in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2. .As clearly shown in Figs. .1 and 2, the housing is centrally 1 provided with two spaced brush pockets 25, 26, formed as seg ments of a circle and adaptedto receive brushes 27 and 28 respectively. The brushes are so shaped and of such a size that the extreme ends of the bristles or fibers thereof are immediately adjacent the inner walls of thepockets 25 and 26, fora purpose to be hereinafter set forth. The pockets 25 and .26 are each provided with baflles27 and 28 formed in continuation of the circular forshaft 12 at the driying end of the con-.

scribed by the walls defining the pockets and 26..

The brushes 27 and 28 are each composed of relatively large drum portions carrying a very large number of fine bristles, and are rotatively mounted upon shafts 31 and 32, extending through vertical slots in the casing, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 3. At each end each of the shafts 31 and 32 is journaled in boxes 33, secured by bolts to the casing, said boxes being slotted at 33 at top and bottom to permit the bolts to be raised and lowered, whereby to shift the vertical position of the brushes within the housing, as desired. Oil ducts 34 lead into all of the boxes 33, to permit lubrication. In order to effect the rotation of the brushes I provide a pulley 35 on the motor shaft 20, and slightly larger pulleys 36 and 37, on the brush shafts 31 and 32 respectively. An idler shaft 38, carrying a small pulley 39, is positioned adjacent the pulley 37, and a drive belt 40 is trained around the pulley 35, over the pulley 36, under the pulley 37 and over the pulley 39. Such gearing will obviously rotate the pulleys 36 and 37 in opposite directions.

It will be understood that in a machine as so far described, energization of the motor 4 will result in the travel of the conveyor 16 through the housing and in thedirection of the arrows, Fig. 2.. The top. of the conveyor is exposed at each end, and, as itprogresses, the erasers 18 are laid thereon, with the felt side upwardly, between the clips 17. The brushes are so positioned, with respect tothe length of the bristles thereof, that the lower ends of the bristles normally project below the plane of the upper portion of the felt on the erasers carried by the conveyor, and,

in rotating, the bristles remove the dust from the felt. But the brushes are rotating at a very high speed with respect to the travel of the conveyor, and there is danger of the erasers being flipped up between the brushes and through the dustpipe 29. To

guard against such contingency I have provided the member 30, which has a slightly beveledfront face perm1tting the erasers to easilypass thereunder, and which positively prevents upward movement of the erasers thereafter, as will be understood. In order to prevent upward movement of the front end of the eraser, beforeit reaches the memshown in Fig. 4. As indicatd in Fig. 2, the

wires are secured at one end to the member 30, and at the other end to the lower portion of the baffle 28, the'wires being higher at the front end than at the rear, to permit easy passage of the eraser thereunder and still. clamping the eraser against vertical movement as it approaches the member 30, and guiding it thereunder. Since the brushes are oppositely rotating however, and both tending to propel the eraser out of the pipe 29, it is also necessary to provide means for retaining the eraser against the action of each of the brushes. I therefore provide a single wire 42, secured at one end to a tongue 43 carried by the rear end of the member 30, and at the other end to the lower portion of thebaffie 27. It will be noted that the wire 42 is upwardly inclined from front to rear, whereby to gradually release the pressure as the eraser approaches the end of the conveyor. During the passage of the eraser under the wires 41, 41', the brush 28 does not reach the felt directly under said wires, but this portion of the felt is cleaned by the brush 27, it being noted that the wire 42 cgvers the felt already cleaned by the brush 2 The oppositely rotating brushes 27 and 28 each set upan air current which is confined to a circular path by the walls defining the circular pockets 25 and 26, and by the baffles 27 and'2 8. Such currents of air are fed by air ports 43, 44, cut through the casing adjacent the shafts 31 and 32, the currents immediately assuming circular formation and traveling in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 2. It will be noted that the discharge pipe 29 opens directly above the 'adjacent peripheries of the brushes 27 and 28 and, consequently, the dust removed. from the erasers will be caught by said circular air currents and forcibly ejected through said pipe. As the brushes continue to-rotate the partial vacuum within the pockets is satisfied by the air induced through the ports 43, 44, and immediately is forced to assume the circular path of the brushes, being confined to such path by the circular formation of the walls definingthepockets, and by the baffles 27 and 23 respectively, and the curved walls of the guard member 30. The brushes therefore not only clean the erasers, but also automatically :rpel the dust removed therefrom.

The oppositely rotating brushes not only serve to mix the air currents and, direct them to a central opening positioned between the brushes, but to clean the erasers more effectually than they would be cleaned by brushes rotating in the same direction. In the structure illustrated, the brush 28 first contacts the eraser and pulls it under the wires 41, 41 in the direction of travel of the conveyor. T he brush 2? however is rotating in opposition to the travel of the conveyor, serving to materially increase the speed of travel or the bristles over the telt, generating greater friction and resulting in a more eii'icient cleansing action.

If desired, and to guard against egress of any chalk dust at each end of the conveyor, 21 flap of rubber or out any soitt resilient material, may be secured to the sioes'o'f the pockets and 26, to depend into the path oi travel oi"- the erase s on the conveyor. lhe flaps will tie to permit passage of the erasers, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 2, but will immediately .ssumc normal position to prevent exit of any dust. A cover t, shown in dotted lines. 1, encloses the gears 23 and 2%, and acover 47, shown in dotted lines Fig. 3, encloses the driving mechanism for the brushes. 7

The machine as described is adapted for utilization of an electric motor rotating at a speed of 1725 B. P. M. The gearing rednces the revolutions of the brushesQT and 28 to 1200 R. P. M., and the gearing for the conveyor causes it to travel at such a speed as to pass 35 erasers through the machine each minute. Thus, by the utilization of a machine such as described, it is possible to thoroughly cleanse 350 eraser-s in 10 minutes, at the same time automatically expelling all of the dust through the pipe 29, to a chimney or any convenient exit.

As the cleansed erasers pass out of the machine they fall from the conveyor 16 onto an inclined plate 48 into a waste-basket or other receptacle. 7

Modifications of the structure herein depicted may be suggested to those skilled in the art, but my invention covers all embodiments falling fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. A machine for cleaning erasers comprising a casing having a dust discharge opening, two oppositely positioned brushes mounted in said casing and so rotating that the adjacent peripheries of the brushes move toward said discharge opening, an endless conveyor traversing the casing and adapted to present successive erasers to the action of said brushes, and means carried by the cars ing adapted to confine the air currents generated by said brushes to a path directed toward said discharge opening.

2. A machine for cleaning erasers comprising a casing provided with a dust-dis charge opening, a cylindrical pocket formed in the casing on each side of said opening, an.

endless conveyor traveling through the easing, a cylindrical brush mounted in each of said pockets, said brushes being o f a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the pockets, and the brushes being so positioned as to contact erasers carried by the conveyor,

'ripheries curvature of the peripheries of said brushes.

and means for rotating said brushes in opposite directions, so that the adjacentperipheries of the brushes move towards said discharge opening.

3. A machine for cleaning erasers, comprising a casing having a dustdisoharge opening, two cylindrical brushes arranged in spaced and juxtaposed position in the casing, n'ieans for passing a plurality of erasers through the casing and for snccessively presenting said erascrs intothe paths of rotation of said brushes, means for so continuously rotating said brushes that the adjacent peripheries of the spaced brushes will travel in the same direction and toward said opening during the nearest approach or said peripheries each to each, said dustdischarge oiening being positioned on a. line parallel to and between lines drawn tangentially ot' the circles formed by the travel of the outer peripheries of said brushes.

1-. A'machine lor cleaning erascrs, comprising a casing having a dust-discharge opening, two cylindrical brushes arranged in spaced and j uxtaposcd position in the 021s ing, means for passing a plurality of erasers through the casing and for successively presenting said erasers into the paths of rotation of said brushes, means for so continuously rotating said brushes that the adjacent peot the spaced brushes will travel in the same direction and toward said open ing during the nearest approach of said peripheries each to each, said dust-discharge opening being located on a line drawn midway between said brushes.

5. A machine for cleaning erasers C0111- prising a casing, two rotating brushes mounted in the casing, means for passing erasers into the paths of rotation of said brushes, and a guard member positioned in juxtaposition to said brushes and extending upwardly therebetween, said member icing curved on each side to conform to the 6. A machine for cleaning erasers comprising a casing having a dust-discharge opening, a rotating brush mounted on each side of said dust-discharge opening, the adjacent peripheries of the brushes travelling toward said opening, means For passing erasers below said brushes and into the paths of rotation thereof, a guard member posi tioned below said opening, and means guiding said erasers under said guard member.

7. A machine for cleaning erasers comprising a casing having a dust-discharge opening, a rotary brush mounted on each side of said dust-discharge opening, the ad.- jacent peripheries of the brushes travelling toward said opening, means for passing erasers below said brushes and into the paths of rotation thereof, a guard member positioned below said opening, and means guiding said erasers under said guard member,

saidineans preventing vertical movement of said erasers before the latter reach a position under said member.

8. A machine for cleaning erasers comprising a casing, two spaced rotating brushes mounted in the casing, means for passing erasers into the paths of rotation of said brushes, a guard member positioned in the. space betweenthe brushes, and guard wires secured to said casing and to said member and extending over the path of travel of said erasers, whereby to prevent upward movement thereof, substantially as described.

9. A'machine for cleaning erasers com prising a casing having a dust-discharge opening and a cylindrically shaped pocket formed in said casing on each side of and spaced from said opening, a cylindrical brush rotatively mounted in each of said pockets, means-for moving; the adjacent peripheries of said brushes toward said opening, a conveyor traversing the casing; below said brushes andadapted to present successive erasers into the paths of rotation of the brushes, a curved baflie on the lower portion of one side of each pocket and formed with a surface concentric to the curve described by the pocket, and a guard member extending upwardly between the brushes and provided with oppositely curved i'aces, for the purpose set forth; I

10. A machine for cleaning erasersfc'omprising a casing having a dust-discharge opening and a cylindrically shaped pocket formed in said casing on each side of and spaced from said opening, a cylindrical brush rotatively mounted in each of said pockets, means for moving the adjacent peripheries of said brushes toward said opening, a conveyor, traversing the. casing below said brushes and adapted to present sueeessive erasers into the paths of rotation of the brushes, a curved battle on the lower portion of each pocket and formed with a surface concentric with the curve described by the pocket, a guard member ext-ending upwardly between the brushes and provided with oppositely curved faces, for the purpose set forth, and guide wires connected to one end of said guard member and at the other end to said bafiies, said wires extendinn above saidconveyor and PIGVGIlllillg vertical movement of said erasers, substantially as describe'd.- p 7 In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ARTHUR nnausrnn. 

